


1 AM

by matosuwa



Category: Free!
Genre: Fluff, Kisses, M/M, dummy boyfriends, nitorin - Freeform, rintori - Freeform, very vanilla
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-16
Updated: 2014-07-16
Packaged: 2018-02-09 04:28:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1969089
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/matosuwa/pseuds/matosuwa
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rin and Ai aren't roommates any more... That doesn't stop them from talking all night, though.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1 AM

**Author's Note:**

> this morning's episode literally RUINED ME. i'm so so so sad that rintori won't be roomies anymore... go back and savor all the dorm room fics now, kids. kudos comments bookmarks all that good stuff would be cool

Aiichirou checked his watch, rolling over restlessly on the bottom bunk. Above him, the sleepy mumbles of Momotarou could be heard as the boy talked in his sleep. It was 12:50 am. Almost time.

 

Last week, the dorm assignments had changed at the start of the new semester. Last week, Rin and Ai were split up from one another. Even if they were only a hallway apart, Ai had never missed Rin this much. Maybe it was because he was the only one who had been able to see Rin outside of practice, outside of the classroom, and just simply being _Rin._

 

Rin, who’s nightmares would wake him up every now and again, causing Aiichirou to come and calm him down. Rin, who would lean over Ai’s desk and help him with homework. Rin, who’s bunk was always host to their friday night movies. Rin… who had confessed to him in here, one night way back in November.

 

Ai glanced at his watch yet again. 12:55.

 

Nitori wondered if Yamazaki-senpai would be able to console Rin after a night terror. Nitori wondered if Rin would forget about everything that had happened here, in the very bunk that was now Nitori’s. _It would always be Rin’s bunk to him, really._

 

Aiichirou feared of being replaced, being forgotten.

 

* * *

 

 

Rin sat over the edge of his bunk,  eyes glued to the clock. 12:56.

 

Rin sighed, remembering the way Aiichirou’s eyes had teared up as he was about to leave. He felt a small twinge of pain run through his chest, his mind going back to all that had happened in room 210 last year. Nitori had deserved a proper goodbye- even if it wasn’t goodbye in a literal sense. Rin still wanted to share a room with Ai, share a small portion of his life with Ai with in it.

 

12:58…

 

He drummed his fingers against his knee, willing for time to move faster.

 

This first week with Sousuke was uneventful in a peaceful sort of way. He’d tried to focus on school and leading the swim team, but his eyes would meet with Ai’s from across the pool, and a certain emptiness would open itself inside of Rin. He’d talked with Ai at practices and sat with him when he could during lunch. But it was different.

 

So much more different than lying awake with him on a quiet Saturday evening, playing with his pretty grey hair. Much more different than whispering back and forth in the dark, the feeling of Ai’s breath ghosting over his skin.

He lay cold in his bunk, not having the younger boy there to cling to. He rose to his feet, tiptoeing past the clock that now read 12:59.

 

Sousuke stirred in the top bunk, turning over in his sleep. Rin crept towards the door, treading as lightly as possible. As quietly as he could, he pulled open the heavy door, and squinted in the bright, artificial light of the hall way. He rubbed his eyes, trying to wake himself up for this.

 

Aiichirou’s first steps into the hall were ended when he crashed head first against a solid wall of muscles. Ai yelped in surprise and stumbled backwards, wobbling on his ankles in the process. Rin’s arms shot out to steady him, holding up upright by the forearms. Ai looked up at him with a sheepish smile, giggling at his clumsiness.

 

“Rin-senpai…” He started, but was quickly shushed by Rin.

 

“You got to be quite,” Rin whispered, voice barely audible.

 

Ai nodded and pretended to zip his lips. Rin rolled his eyes and smiled softly, before taking the boy’s hand and starting off down the hall. Aiichirou stumbled after him, wanting more than anything to ask where they were going.

 

The overwhelming scent of chlorine cleared Ai’s sleepy mind as he realized where they must have been headed. _The indoor pool is locked every night though…_ Ai thought.

 

Ai felt Rin release his hand, and dig around in his pocket. Ai watched curiously for a moment, until he saw what Rin had been searching for. A small key ring with only one ket attached presented itself, and Rin shot Nitori a smirk, before unlocking the door. _Of course the captain would have a key._

 

“Rin… I didn’t bring a bathing suit.” Ai whispered, eyes narrow.

 

Rin sighed, “We’re not swimming…” He raised his eyebrows at the younger boy, “Not unless you want to.”

 

Aiichirou flushed and shook his head, “N-no, that’s not what I’m trying to say!”

 

“Calm down, I was just kidding.” Rin sighed, before pushing open one of the double doors, and stepping into the muggy humidity of the pool.

 

Rin leaned up against one of the walls, Ai tentatively following after him. Nitori stood across from Rin, chewing on his bottom lip and glancing out at the glass double doors.

 

“Rin, why did we come here?” Ai asked, “I assumed we would just… stay in the hallway?”

 

Rin chuckled, “Sousuke would probably hear both of us talking. He’s a light sleeper, apparently.”

 

“Momotarou isn’t…” Ai chuckled, “He slept through four alarms yesterday morning.”

 

Rin’s face turned serious. “Is he a good roommate, though?”

 

Ai smiled, “Yeah, so far. He’s a bit rambunctious… But he’s kind. How about Sousuke?”

 

“I’ve known him forever, so it’s easy getting adjusted to a new roommate.” Rin replied, voice cautious.

 

“That’s good!” Ai chirped, smiling brighter.

 

For a moment, they both stood silent. Ai looked away and down at the tiled floors, while Rin fought to meet his gaze again. The faint sound of dripping water was all that could be heard.

 

“Ai.” Rin whispered, watching Nitori’s face lift, those tell-tale blue eyes finally meeting his directly. “We… we both miss one another, right?”

 

A relieved sigh tore through Ai. “...Yes! I didn’t think…” He trailed off, gaze dropping once more.

 

“What?” Rin asked, reaching for Ai’s hand. “What is it?”

 

Ai heaved an exhale. “I thought that… You were going to break up with me tonight.” He whispered.

 

Rin scrambled for Ai’s other hand, holding them close to his chest. “Ai! No, that’s not why I wanted to see you!”

 

Nitori let his eyes wander back to Rin’s, and Rin noticed how watery and reflective they’d become. “W-why did you wanna see me then?” He hiccupped, trying to stifle his tears.

 

Rin pulled Nitori against him, untangling their hands so he could wrap his arms around the second year. Rin pressed Ai closer to him, and breathed in the familiar scent that had once made up their dorm.

 

“It’s because I missed you,” Rin whispered, “Dummy…”

 

Ai smiled against Rin’s neck, feeling the older boy’s hands rubbing in wide circles across his back. “Oh…”

 

“It’s really different now that we’re not… roommates anymore.” Rin whispered, “I just really really miss everything about being roommates.”

 

Ai laughed lightly, his breath tickling over Rin’s neck. “Even my messy desk?”

Rin clicked his tongue, “Maybe not that. Have you kept my promise, though?”

 

Ai pulled back, head tilted, “What promise?”

 

“You’re keeping the room clean, right?” Rin asked, smirking.

 

“Eh…” Ai trailed off, glancing away. “It looks… alright.”

 

Rin chuckled, reaching for Ai’s face and tilting his chin up. “That’s what I was expecting.”

 

Ai didn’t retort to Rin’s comment. Instead, he let himself fall against Rin as their lips met. Ai still had to stand on his toes, Rin still didn’t exactly know what to do with his hands.

 

Some things weren’t different at all.


End file.
